It’s probably been a while since the Battle of Krojanty in 1939 made the news, but that is what recently happened according to a blog post on the website of FP (Foreign Policy) magazine. The post states that Mad Money host Jim Cramer used the myth of Polish Cavalry attacking German Panzers as a metaphor for the struggling department store Macy’s. This prompted a response from the Polish Embassy in Washington that he apologize for the comments, which they regard as “unnecessary, inaccurate, and insensitive.”

The notion of Polish Cavalry charging German tanks during the 1939 campaign is a rather enduring one in the popular consciousness, despite having been debunked repeatedly by military historians. Nazi propagandists created the story of the Polish Army deploying cavalry against German tanks as part of their attempt to effort to present the WWII Wehrmacht as an ultra-modern, mechanized force. The reality was that much like the Polish Army, the majority of the Wehrmacht relied on horses for transport.

Article Excerpt:

On May 11, Mad Money host Jim Cramer compared the struggling department store Macy’s to Poland’s early efforts against the German Wehrmacht in World War II. “Macy’s is like the Polish Army in WWII — it tried to field cavalry against German tanks and it did not end well,” he said.

The Polish Embassy in Washington issued a fiery response to Cramer, demanding he apologize for comments that were “unnecessary, inaccurate, and insensitive.”

Cramer was recycling an oft-cited tale of Polish lancers who supposedly charged German tanks at the outset of World War II — making it the very epitome of blinkered futility.

The problem is that never actually happened, and it’s become a huge sore spot for Poland ever since.

We recently came across this article in a 1944 issue of Army Ordnance magazine. It relates an interesting story of how a M4 Medium was used to shoot holes in the ground, helping a group of Sea-bees break up volcanic ash for use in road building.

The Panzerkampfwagen IV, or Panzer IV as it is more popularly known, formed the backbone of Germany’s tank formations during WWII. With production totaling more than 8,500, the Panzer IV was the most plentiful German tank of the war, and the only German tank that remained in production for the duration of the conflict. Through more than 180 photos, this volume chronicles the design, development, and operational deployment of this ubiquitous German tank. This material is arranged in nine chapters, each focusing on a specific production model (Ausführung) of the tank. Comprehensive tables reveal the details of the performance and technical specifications of each variant. A concise, easy to read text, and detailed photographic captions expose the secrets of this iconic tank.

Osprey Publishing has released a follow-up book to Thomas Anderson’s History of the Panzerwaffe. This new book, The History of the Panzerwaffe: Volume 2: 1942–45 covers the later half of the Second World War. Unlike the slender softcover series books that they are mainly known for, this Osprey offering is a 304 page hardcover. Thomas Anderson is a German researcher of armored vehicle history, having written several Osprey titles on German WWII armor.

Publishers Description:

The final years of World War II saw the legendary Panzerwaffe face its most difficult challenges, with Allied troops landing at Normandy and storming across the continent, and the Russians gaining the upper hand on the Eastern Front. As Germany fought fiercely to hold on to the advantages gained in the early years, they relied heavily on the Panzer IV, the Panzer V Panther, and the StuG III–the backbone of their infamous armored divisions–to hold back their advancing opponents. This second volume on the Panzerwaffe offers a comprehensive guide to the final years of Germany’s most famous fighting force, covering the further use of the Panzer IV, the role played by the StuG III assault gun, and the battlefield debut of the formidable Panther. Explosive combat reports and rare archive photographs help uncover the final years of the Panzers, from their defense against the D-Day landings and the role they played in the Ardennes Offensive, to their valiant last stand in Berlin.